What are gymnastic exercises and what are some of the benefits?
Gymnastics , also referred to as grids , are jumping exercises for horses which are typically a series of multiple jumps placed in a row. The first jump is usually preceded with a pole, or set of poles called cavalletti, which regulate the horses stride and assists him with a proper take off necessary to be successful for the rest of the exercise. The horse is usually asked to trot in to the exercise, and then continues on cantering to the following sets of jumps. How one chooses to set gymnastics depends on the skill level of the rider, and the training and abilities of the horse. The strides between jumps can range from no strides (bounce) to four or five strides. Factors such as the size of riding arenas, and fitness level of the horse, influence the distances and numbers of jumps used. A typical grid would include bounces, one and two strides between jumps, with three or four jumps used in a row. The shapes of the jumps are also varied, with the x, or cross pole commonly used to be
